Michael D. Kennedy on comics, jazz, and surprising yourself

Michael D. Kennedy is a Birmingham-based cartoonist, illustrator and graphic novelist. His new book Milk White Steed is one of the best graphic novels in recent years, exploring growing up black in the West Midlands, modern-day folktales, and bringing jazz to Mars.

I came across Mike not long ago, after a targeted Instagram ad alerted me to his book. Within seconds I was sold, only to realise it hadn’t come out yet, and that the launch/Q&A/Signing event was a week later.

I’m not always the biggest fan of a Q&A, but after an hour or so of actually interesting conversation I was more sold than ever.

And the book’s really good. Really good. When you see reviews saying stuff like “generational talent” it’s easy to think it’s all smoke, but the book really holds up!

Mike was kind enough to answer of a few of my questions about the book, his inspirations, and a few suggestions for what to read after:

A few times reading, I half-expected the story to end, but then turned the page to find it kept going! Do you purposefully subvert expectations?

With this book, the idea was to surprise myself as a reader more than anything. So much about reading classic genre comics is about expecting them to be brief with a convenient ending, I figured I could play with that and add these epilogues and whatnot and really stretch the characters lives and what they had to say to resemble real life in some way. Yet still reads very much as a comic, I hope?!

Each story, in addition to its own style, really has its own rhythm. Was there any music you listened to while working/were inspired by, and did this change between stories?

To make the work, I had to accept I am a more poetic/lyrical writer than with straight prose sentences. I’ve been into a lot of music in my life and followed a lot of scenes, I suppose jazz is the big one for me still. Having a comics structure reflect the structure of jazz was a freeing way to “compose” a comic. Then some comics like the shorter ones just came and went in a flash without much overthinking. Ironically, ‘Duke Ellington on Mars’ birthed itself pretty much as is without any highfalutin concepts behind it.

When you’re writing a collection of short stories, when/how do you decide to put the pen down?

I’m shaping a new collection right now and with a bit of experience and confidence behind me I feel much better about editing myself and understanding the work. With both projects it’s just about making as much work as possible, going away for a week and returning with a fresh pair of eyes. When it’s done, I tend to stop ruminating on the story every waking hour.

I won’t ask you for a favourite, but is there a story or part of the book you have a real soft spot for?

I think ‘Giddy Up Duppy’ might be the most personal to me. It’s a dark fairytale version of a beano comic. That’s my whole thing really, and that comic was proof of concept and really goes for that childhood expressiveness I think comics can lack sometimes. My work is kind of insane and some people have a reaction to it but this comic seems to engage people in a way that it does for me too.

Living in the West Mids, you must know how hard it is to find small press/indie comics. Do you have a go-to shop?

I guess Gosh! is the best in the U.K for imports and they stock me and have me for signings. I remember when Foyles in Grand Central had a killer graphic novel section (around 2017) and they were getting in the most interesting work from Nyrcomics and more obscure presses. Now, that branch doesn’t even have graphic novels anymore. I’d love to see a small press shop open in my lifetime but the odds seem to be stacked against any independents in town.

Long story short it’s hard work to be into cool comics in the Midlands and it requires dedication to stay on top of everything. I’d love for a record store or a skate shop to stock some small press or even the existing comics stores ha!

And finally, is there anything you would recommend to be experienced either alongside or after MWS?

If you liked the cut of my jib then you could check out the comics of Chad Bilyeu and Theodore Richards. Both are putting out high quality comics experiences that you just have to google a bit harder to find them. Chad’s ‘Re-Up’ comics and Richard’s ‘Toys are Dead’ comics are absolute joys to read. Both are more concerned with realism and memory than I am yet utilise comics storytelling to achieve unique memoirs. Both deserve their flowers.